Dies for making return bends



G. E. IIY'IIER.

DIES FOB MAKING RETURN BENDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1920.

1,417,944. I Patented May 30, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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DIES FOR MAKING RETURN BENDS. APPLICATION FILED APR. s, I92o fy/srv- Patented May 30, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED. s'frarries Paritairv orifice.

GILBERT n RYDER, orLnoNra'NEw JERSEY.

p mns non Maxine nnruair Bruins. i

j Specification of Letters Patent.

" Patented-May so, 192e.

Original application filed May 1, 1919. Serial No. 294,100. Divided and this application l-ed April 6,

l `1920. Serial No. 371,655.

T o @ZZ 'w hom it may concern Be itknown that I, GILBERT E. Brunn, a

vcitizen of the United States, residing at Leonia, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful `Improvements in Dies for lVIak'ir'ig Return A discussion of my invention may best be begun by a reference to the form of return bend usually referred to as'a forged return bend. ln this structure 'the return bend is made up of a portion of the pipes themselves which are joined. The method of making such return bends and the apparatus used.

are sufficiently well-known at the present time so that no detailed description thereof is required herein. They are fully set` forth in U. S. Patents 1,155,109 to True and McKee; 1,169,209 to the same, and 1,255,355 to True and Brandt. The Patent 1,264,455

to True discloses an extension ofthe idea,

and will be referred to farther on.

As will appear from the specifications in the patents mentioned 'and as is well known to those conversant with this, art, there is a certain limitation in the method and apparatus previously employed. This limitation re sides in the lfact that the distance which the pipes to be joined can be placed apart cannot be varied beyond certain limits one way or the other since there is a definite amount of the material of the pipes which is bent outward to-form the connecting portion. If the pipes are spaced tooefar apart, there will not be enough of this 'material and if they are placed too-close together there will be an excessive amount. By the 'method and apparatus disclosed in this specification, the distance which the two pipes can b elplaced apart can be made anything' desired'within In these drawings, Fig. 1 represents one half of the female die employed in my process; Fig. 2 shows the two Vplpes to be joined A' cated by and a connecting piece between them which i is required in carryingout my process; Fig. 3 shows in a plan View one half of the female die with the three parts of Fig. 2 in position. Fig. 4 is similar to --and illustrates the work of Fig. 3 after the male portion of the die has performed its inward movement, the male die being shown at this part of its stroke; Fig. 5 shows a plan view partly in section of a completed return bend made by my method; Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6`6 of Fig. 5 'looking in the direction indithe arrows; Fig. 7 shows a variation of the step by which the return bend is finally closed; Fig. l8 shows another variation in this step; Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 illustrates how the structure madebythe first portion of my process is joined to a third pipe instead of being shaped into a return bend; Fig. 11 is an end view of Fig. 10; Figs. 12 and 13 show on a reduced scale, structures made by my process; Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modification which facilitates holding the parts to be joined; Fig. 15 is a section on line 15-15 of Fig. 14, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 16 is a plan view of one half of the female die employedfin a variation of my process; Fig.

`17 is a sectional view of the two halves of .22 and 23 illustrate an additional operat1on;

Figs. 24 and 25 illustrate a further modification; Fig. 26'shows a 4die used in a still further variation inV my method; Fig. 27 1s a' sectional view of a .partially completed return bend made in the die of Fig. 26; Flg. 28 shows in sectional view this return bend completed; Fig. 29 shows a die used in makinoP the structure of Fig. 12.

eferring rst to the form of my apparatus and-method, and the resulting structure as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, it will be seen that the die I employ is similar to the one of the patented method referred to above. The A principal distinction lies in the fact that the two bores 1 and 2 are placedv farther apart, the wall 3 between them being of greater width than in the die hitherto employed. A similar and corresponding modification 1s 45 between the two legs `pipes to a third.

by any desired means to seen in themale die 4 in which the portion 6 and 7 is seen to be wider than in the patented die. An inspection of Fig. 3 will make clear the relative positionl into which the twopip'es 8, 9 and the connecting piece 10 are placed. The endsof the pipes 8 and 9 as well as the connecting piece 10 are suitably heated before they are placed in position and it will be understood that the other half of the female die, which is symmetrical with the one shown, is placed into and then -held in the proper position after the heated parts have been inserted. The male die which, just as in the process hitherto employed, is by suitable mechanism now caused to perform its inward stroke, splits those portions ofpipe 8 and 9 whichface each other and bends them outward, upward and downward, much in the same way as in theold process. Instead, however, of t e edges of these split portions coming into contact with each other they are brought into forcible contact with the edges of the connecting piece 10, this contact being such that a good weld results. This will be readily understood by those conversant with this art as hitherto practised.

After the male die has performed its in, ward stroke it is, by the mechanism to which it is attached, withdrawn, the female die is opened and the incomplete return bend re- ,moved There now remains the step of closing this incomplete return bend. This may manifestly be accomplished in one of several different ways. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the closure is Iaccomplished by-in serting a cover piece 11 of suitable shape into. the opening and welding it along the edge, as indicated at 12. Inthe `form illustrated in Fig. 7, the open end of the return bend is swaged down and closed verymuch after thel manner of Patent 1,255,355 mentioned above. In the form illustratedin Figs. 8 and 9, the outer edge of the incomplete bend is turned inward asindicat'ed at 13, after which a cover 14 similar to the ordinary hand hole cover :is inserted andv held in place by the means shown, or any other preferred means.

In Fig. 10, there is illustrated the use of astructure made by my process not as a return'bend but as a means for joining two This third pipe .15 is elled out, as shown, so that its end registers with the open end of the structure made -in the dies above described. .The two are then welded together along the line 16. If ydesired, the open end of the incomplete structure resulting from the operation of `the dies of Figs. 1, 3 and 4 may evidently be drawn down directly into circular form so that the structure assumes the shape of Fi 10; no weld, as at 16, being then require The circular open end can then be connected a pipe, header or The size to which the end is drawn down depends upon circumstances. In Fig. 13, a series of pipes is shown whose alternate ends are connected to each other by my process.

The structure of Fig. 12 is produced' in a die lnvolving an o'bvious extension of my inotherV element.v

ventive idea and illustrated in Fig. 29. Only its legs enter the left and center bores of the femaledie. The resulting structure is then placed into the position indicated in Fig. 29, the die being provided with the raised portion 3a, but having no raised wall on the side 3b. Pipe 8a and connecting piece 10b are placed in position, both they and the proper portion of pipe 8 havin of course, been suitably heated; and are joined by a stroke ofthe male die. Evidently the process can be repeated as often as desired, the

finished portion of `the outward at 3b, and new pipes and connecting pieces being supplied aty the left end. `The whole process is similar to that of the Patent 1,264,455, mentioned supra; and will be at once understood rby those versed in this art. The other ends of the pipes are thereafter joined by a similar series ofvoperations; the open tops of the resulting headers closed in any preferred manner; and Suitaable connections supplied. These latter steps are not a part of my present invention, and a detailed description would be out of place'.

In practise it will not be convenient to heat the two pipes 8 and 9 and the connect ing piece 10 separately and then to insert them into the die, and Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate my preferred method and means of holding these three pieces in their relative position so that they may be simultaneously heated andhandled. The .connecting piece 10 will be seen to have attached to it a projecting extension 17. A suitable bore to accommodate this extension 17 is made'in the female dies as is clearly shown in Fig. 15. The clamp 18, together with its key 19 holds these three pieces positively in the relation desired so that 4they may be inserted together into the furnace and generally conveniently handled. The process b which the three are joined is not modifie lin any way. After the operation of joining them structure` being fed is completed, -the extension 17 is removed 1n any preferred manner.w Instead of using a connecting piece of the form shown in the figures hitherto spoken of, it may under certain conditions be desirable to use a short thirdpipe as in the modlication next to be described. This sary.

third piece of pipe, which is given a referjoined, 8 and 9, as well as the connecting piece 20, are shown in position in Fig. 18, only the lower half of the female die being shown in this figure. The connecting piece 2() is in the form of a short length of pipey or a thimble closed at its inner end. The male die, as will be seen from Fig.- 19, has two` legs lcorresponding to 6 and 7 in the form above described, but is supplied in addition with a short central projection or leg 21.` .is the male die performs its inward stroke, the neighboring walls of pipes 8 and 9 and the connecting piece 20 are split by the legs 6, 7 and 21, bent outward in the same known way coming into contact with each other again with ust the requisite pressure to form a good weld. The resulting structure is clearly shown at Figs. 19 and 20. The small projection Q2 is, of course, useless and may even be objectionable in some cases. It is reduced to a minimum by making the leg 21 as short as is compatible with the proper action of the die, and letting pipe 20 extend inward between the two pipes 8 and 9 no farther than absolutely neces- If it is desired to flatten down this projection entirely this an evidently be done readily by hand or in a suitable set of dies so that the resulting structure becomes smooth at this point as indicated in Figs. 22 and 23. The endof this return bend can evidently'be closed by any of the methods mentioned in connection with the first form above or by any other preferred means.

A modification. which ma)v prove desirable in practice, of the method just described V is illustrated in Figs. E24 and 25. The connecting piece E20 instead of being a th-imble, closed at its inner end, is left in the form of an open ended pipe. The operation of joining the two pipes 8, 9 and a connecting piece 20 to each other is performed in precisely the same way as just described. After this operation. the pipe Q0 is cut off close to its base and closed as clearly shown in Fig. 25.

'n the description up to this point, the connecting piece Q() or 20 is assumed to be of the same diameter as the two pipes 8 and 9. By modifying the dies suitably. a pipeof larger diameter can evidently be employed. This is illustrated in Figs. Q6 and 27. It is believed that no detailed description is required. If it is desired, the structure resulting may be again flattened as indicated in Fig. 28.` By taking a connecting pipe of suitable size, the distance between pipes 8 and 9 may be increased to any desiredv distance within limits.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A die for making pipe bends and similar structures comprising a female member having parallel bores for holding two pipe lengths, said bores being'joined by a space opening from the end of the die, said bores being spaced apart so their axes are separated by a distance materially greater than one half of the circumference of either bore, and a male member having two legs for entering said bores, said legs being connected by a web, the male member being shaped generally complementary to the co-operating portions of the female member, but being, when inserted in it, spaced everywhere from its walls.

2. A die for making pipe bends and similar structures comprising a female and male member; the female member comprising two symmetrical halves whose co-operating faces are of such conformation that when the die is closed, there are formed two cylindrical bores, whose axes are parallel and lie in the plane of the contiguous surfaces and are separated from each other by a distance materially greater than one half of the circumference ofeither bore, the bores being connectedby a space opening from one end ofthe female die.; the male member com` prising two legs and a connecting web joining them, the male member being shaped generally complementary'to the co-operating portions of the female member but smaller, so that when inserted in it the male member is everywhere spaced from the walls of the female member.

3. A die for making pipe bends and similar structures comprising a female and a male member; the female member comprising two symmetrical halves whose co-operating faces are of such conformation that when the die is closed, there are formed three cylindrical bores, whose axes are parallel and lie in the plane of thecontiguous surfaces, the outer two bores extending from one end of the die and the middle one from a point removed from the end, the three bores being connected by a space extending from the other end of the die and terminating short of the bottom of the middle bore; the male member comprising three legs spaced to correspond to the spacing of the bores, and vwebs connecting them, the male member being shaped generally complementary to the (zo-operating portions ofighe female member but smaller, so that when inserted in it the male member is everywhere spaced from the walls of the female member. GILBERT E. RYDER.

lOO 

